Die Laughing: The 10 Best Horror Comedies of All Time

When the audience is laughing during a horror film, it's usually a bad sign. Horror movies are almost always supposed to frighten the bejesus out of viewers, not leave them snickering in the aisles. But every so often a horror flick comes along that expertly blends screams and laughs.

Good horror comedies are hard to find, though, so Wired went straight to the source this Halloween season: We asked the experts at horror magazine Fangoria to give us the best side-splitters they could think of.

"We here at Fangoria love Shaun of the Dead and Ghostbusters just as much as the next horror fan. We cheered our way through Gremlins and still shudder at scenes from American Werewolf in London," the mag's writer David McKendry and marketing director Rebekah McKendry said in an e-mail introduction to their list for Wired. "But, we pride ourselves on being horror experts and having the copious historical knowledge to give you titles that you may not be familiar with."

Check out their top picks, as well as a few alternates, in the trailer gallery above, and get ready for a hilarious Halloween. (Plus, stay tuned for more Fangoria picks next week.)

Above:

Vampire’s Kiss (1988)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "This top-notch vampire flick was one of the first signs that Nicolas Cage had some bizarre intensity going on. Vampire’s Kiss is filled with moments which convinced 1988 audiences that Cage was just fucking nuts. It has homages to Hammer vampire flicks and more traditional horror films, but Cage's hapless and sadistic nature make this hilarious horror one for the record books."

A Bucket of Blood (1959)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "A Bucket of Blood was far too macabre for its time, but absolutely perfect for ours. Dick Miller plays a struggling, smarmy artist whose uncomfortable interactions with people are equally uncomfortable to watch, yet so entertaining. As an art-house café employee, Miller is amidst a sea of pompous beatniks and hipsters. As he murders in an attempt to join their arty ranks, the satire of the art scene becomes more and more comical."

Blood Diner (1987)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "This is a campy romp that has a strong cult following amongst horror fans. The plot is nonsensical, the acting is atrocious, and the effects are cheesy. Yet, it still has an enduring, loveable quality. Plus, it has a legendary wrestler character named Little Jimmy Hitler."

Dead Alive (1992)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "Dead Alive is a horror comedy that didn’t quite put director Peter Jackson on the world-famous filmmaking map, but still is his greatest work according to many horror fans. A plague breaks out in a small New Zealand town, turning many of the residents into crazed zombies. It’s gooey, gory fun. Plus, our lead hero attacks a horde of zombies with a running lawnmower strapped to his chest. Pure genius!"

There’s Nothing Out There (1991)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "This film is The Cabin in the Woods from 20 years ago in 1991, with a much smaller release and much smaller budget. Seven teens go camping in the woods and soon become victims of a murderous alien. But a few characters are wise to the horror-movie devices at work and start calling the filmmakers out on the formula as it is occurring. This low-budget romp has some bad jokes and bad acting, but the hilarity of the meta-film element makes up for the flaws."

Popcorn (1991)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "Although not purposefully funny, the campiness of the film makes it a side-splitting chuckle fest. This rather unknown flick from the 1990s still embodies a 1980s philosophy and trope of hosting an event to save a beloved locale in financial danger. It’s not a dance contest to save a youth center in this one, but instead a film fest to raise money for a film-education program. All hell and hilarity breaks out when a slasher shows up for the film-festival merriment alongside the perky youths. Plus, this is a clear tribute to William Castle and his matinee style."

Severance (2006)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "This 2006 British horror comedy revolves around an office 'team building' retreat. As a killer begins to pick off the co-workers, their less-than-professional sides emerge. Severance played at many festivals but received a very small release stateside. It’s a shame, because this one is a truly intelligent take on professional office life. Think The Office TV show with a lot more blood."

Student Bodies (1981)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "This one is downright classic! This 1981 flick was one of the first to seriously lampoon the slasher subgenre. It stabs not only at specific films and the slasher market saturation of the time period, but also rather intelligently pokes at the film formulas that were just then being established. This one never ceases to make us laugh!"

The Day of the Beast (1995)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "A priest, a death metalhead and a fake astrologist team up to fight the devil. Along the way, the priest is committing as many sins as possible in hopes that he can sell his soul and be present at the forthcoming birth of the Antichrist, all so he can kill the baby and save the world. The batshit-crazy plot works amazingly well in this solid laugh riot."

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "Director Roman Polanski proves there is no genre he can’t tackle (or combine, for that matter) in this horror comedy about vampires and the bumbling professor and apprentice who are out to kill them. This film is just as hilarious as it is stylistically beautiful."

B-Side Suggestion: Saturday the 14th Strikes Back (1988)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "The sequel to the 1981 horror comedy Saturday the 14th , 1988’s Saturday the 14th Strikes Back is punny and charmingly lowbrow. Plus, it stars legendary comedian Avery Schreiber from such horrible classics as Galaxina and Caveman."

B-Side Suggestion: Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "Sequel to the 1978 farce Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, this is one of George Clooney’s first films, and it features his sweet 1988 mullet. This film is cheesy and very flawed but is another meta-classic calling a lot of attention to the film crew working on the flick and the devices that go into making the horror genre hilarious."

Dishonorable Mention: Pandemonium (1982)

The Fangoria braaaaains-trust says: "This is a horrible attempt at a spoof movie which is a difficult task to complete. Yet, they managed to do it even with a cast that includes Phil Hartman, Carol Kane, Judge Reinhold, Tom Smothers and Mr. Squiggy himself, David Lander. This film never made it to DVD, but copies can still be found on VHS. It’s bad, but many horror fans view it as a 'good' bad (at least three or four of them)."

Blowback: What’s Your Favorite Horror Comedy?

What classic horror comedies will have you cackling in the run-up to All Hallows’ Eve this year? Unleash your own hilarious horror picks in the comments below.